


time lapse

by sailormatcha



Series: Soulmates [1]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 21:21:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14860526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailormatcha/pseuds/sailormatcha
Summary: SOULMATE AU. "He recognized her bravery in being able to show such emotion in front of a stranger. But it wasn’t true, she was far from a stranger. In the few days they had known each other; in the few days they had met each other over and over again, he had become quite fond of her friendship, and admired her constant attention to caring for those around her, including him, who he knew was the last one that deserved her kindness."





	time lapse

**Author's Note:**

> An installment in the Soulmates series, which is a collection of stories across several different fandoms, concerning my original characters and their love interests. Please enjoy!
> 
> AN: Time Lapse: Where the day you and your soulmate should meet happens over and over again until you figure out that you are soulmates.

The First Day:  
  
Anso’s requests were harmless, if not vague. Hawke and her crew accepted the shady retrieval mission, though some doubt lingered in the back of her mind. They had no idea what to expect at the abandoned house, but somehow the groups of thugs there came as no surprise. They finished them off with ease, but when they looked in the chest where Anso’s belongings were supposed to be, there was nothing. What truly shocked the band was the group of Tevinter Hunters surrounding the door as they left. Before they could strike, Mallory readied her staff in front of her, signaling the others to prepare themselves. They were much tougher than the thugs from before, but they still plowed through them with skill. Once finished, they turned towards the staircase, but a Tevinter officer stood before them.  
  
“I don’t know who you are friend, but you made a mistake coming here.”  
  
Mallory was about to question him, but a stumbling and bloody soldier behind the man stole their attention before she could speak. He fell forward, calling for his captain. The group starred in awe as a dark skinned elf baring intricate tattoos began to speak to the soldier. “Your men are dead, and your trap has failed, I suggest running back to your master while you still can.”  
  
The air seemed thinner as Mallory starred at this new stranger. It was an unexplainable feeling, a slight nausea that made her feel as though she was being pulled towards him the moment that he appeared. Her hand gripped her staff.  
  
The man spit the word “slave” at the elf, and Mallory could not help but audibly gasp as the elf’s started to glow and his sharp armor pierced through the Tevinter, ripping out his heart. “I am not a slave.” He said as he turned towards the group, the man’s body slinking to the ground. He did not meet Mallory’s face, instead walking past them with visible discomfort in the way his face twisted. “I apologize,” he said. “When I asked Anso to provide a distraction for the hunters I had no idea that they’d be so… numerous.”  
  
The dizzying feeling started to fade, but Mallory still felt as though she was being pulled towards his aura, though it frightened her to a degree, especially after the show he had just provided. “You are responsible for all of this?” She hadn’t meant for her voice to sound so defensive. The elf turned towards her, meeting her eyes for the first time.  
  
“I am the reason you are here, yes.”  
  
Mallory could hear her heartbeat in her ears as the man introduced himself. Fenris, she thought as he continued to explain himself. The name involuntarily echoed in her mind. It was strange. She had never felt like this while meeting someone. She blamed it on the fear that instilled in her after watching his vicious power. Fenris began to move towards the body he had slewn and searched for a slip of paper. “It’s as I thought, my old master accompanied them to the city. I must confront him before he leaves. I will need your help.”  
  
She couldn’t quite read him, but as she met the darks of his eyes, the feeling of being pulled towards him boiled within her again, so her voice came out before her brain could even process the danger. “Lead the way.”  
  
Inside Danarius’ mansion, they defeated the demons that plagued the halls. Each time that Mallory would cast a spell, Fenris would look at her with something she decided was disgust. It did not surprise her, knowing that his old master was a magister. They did not find Danarius there. When they left the mansion, Fenris turned towards Mallory. “I escaped magic just to have it hunt me at every turn. It is a plague that haunts my flesh and soul. And now I find myself in the company of yet another mage.”  
  
His voice hit her like a dagger, something that surprised her. She had come accustomed to the harsh words of those who oppose magic, including her mother, but why did this newcomer have such an affect on her?  
“Tell me then, what manner of mage are you? What is it you seek?”  
  
Mallory’s eyes carefully moved towards her brother, who stood near her side. “This magic to is used to protect those dear to me.”  
  
She watched as Fenris’ eyes grew soft, and the fear she had been wearing like a second skin suddenly vanished.  
  
“I am sorry,” he said. “I didn’t meet to sound ungrateful, for that couldn’t be further from the truth. Though we did not find Danarius, I still owe you a debt. If you should ever require assistance, I would gladly render it.”  
  
“Then I suppose I shall be seeing you again, Fenris.” She offered an experimental smile.  
  
He did not return it, but something flickered in his eyes. Something Mallory would not have been able to precisely define, had she not been feeling it too: curiosity.  
  
“I am at your disposal, Hawke.”  
  
After parting ways, she and her brother returned home. Slipping into her nightwear, she laid her heavy battle ropes on a chair near the fireplace. The bed felt foreign to her for some reason, as if it’s comfort had changed after the series of events had unfolded that day. As she thought more of the new member of her allies, she let her eyelids shut, and sleep claimed her.

  
  


The Second Day:  
  
Mallory stretched her arms above her head, the thick quilt pulled up over her face. The faint sound of wood crackling itched in her ears, and a sense of calm washed over her. It immediately vanished when she realized that she hadn’t put any fresh logs on the fire before sleeping last night. Weird, she thought, maybe mother laid them in for me? How thoughtful.  
  
There was a brisk knock on her door as she finished dressing. Carver entered holding a piece of parchment in his hand. “Just saw this request from some man named Anso. Shall we depart soon?”  
  
Mallory cocked an eyebrow, taking the letter from her brother. As she read the contents, she became even more confused. “Didn’t we finish this request yesterday?”  
  
“No, this is the first I have heard of this Anso fellow. The request seems rather easy.”  
  
The same weird feeling she had felt the day prior while near the elf boiled in her stomach once again. Her mind swayed with an odd dizziness. Something definitely was not right.  
  
“Sister?” Carver called, reaching a hand towards her, ready to steady her. “Are you alright? You seem a little pale.”  
  
She decided not to tell him, wondering if this magic was potent enough to put him in danger. She would investigate on her own, and play the day again as she did the day before.  
  
It was exact; a spitting image of her prior daily experience. The thugs in what she knew as Danarius’ house, the empty chest, the Tevinters waiting for them outside. Everything was the same. Until Fenris appeared, killing the officer, and immediately meeting her eyes.  
  
“Hawke.” He spoke.  
  
He knew who she was? The day before he had no knowledge of her existence. It surprised her, to say the least, so she dared question him.  
  
“You know me?”  
  
It seemed to catch him off guard as much as it did her, because he physically tensed, flexing his sharp, armored fingers distractedly. “Anso mentioned the possibility of your assistance when I called upon him to help me. I was simply assuming that was your name.”  
  
Though he sounded convincing, Mallory knew that it was too much of a coincidence that he was the only thing different so far in her do-over day. He went on to explain who he was and his purpose in asking for aid. She couldn’t help but wonder what magic was at work here, and if Fenris knew about it, or worse, if he was behind it. It worried her, the fact that she had no knowledge of this magic, as she was a mage herself, leaving her to an unappealing game of guessing how to fix it. It displeased her further that she now questioned if she could trust Fenris, who she thought of as a reliable ally after yesterday’s events.  
  
They swept through the demons once again, but this time she found herself closer to Fenris. Whether it was because she wanted to keep an eye on him or because the magic that pulled them together was unbearable to ignore, she didn’t quite know. Their proximity allowed him to slay a demon that had snuck up on her before it could harm her. She quickly relayed her gratitude.  
  
After clearing out the mansion, Mallory prepared herself for Fenris’ hurtful words about her magic, but they did not come. Instead, he merely thanked them for their assistance, and looked Mallory directly in the eyes as he said, “I am in your debt. Call on me if you are in need of assistance.” She watched his fleeing figure with pondering eyes, and decided after he looked back at her with the same look, that he was no threat to her. There was the possibility that he had no idea what was happening with her at all, but his inconsistency that day told her that he may hold the key to breaking whatever curse she had found herself apart of.  
  
She went home, as she had did the day before, but only to make a point, took all of the logs from her room and threw them into the basin in the washroom down the hall, rendering them unusable. As she dozed off, she told herself that if the fire was lit tomorrow, she would seek out this Fenris for help.

  
  


The Third Day:  
  
The reflection of the sitting blaze burned bright in Mallory’s stagnant gaze. Carver had left only moments before with the request from Anso, telling her that they should get going before stir of Kirkwall’s bustle. She collected her thoughts as she sat at the end of the neatly made bed. Not only was she experiencing the same day over and over again, but a light but very present headache had greeted her that morning. Whatever pulling feeling that had made her dizzy before, had made its way into her temples and brow, discomforting her with a slight sting that she tried to suppress by pinching the bridge of her nose. When the pain had dulled to something bearable, she lifted herself off the bed, staff in hand, and joined her brother.  
  
The thugs became easier since she had fought them twice before. There was no searching around the mansion. She had seen it all already, and she knew what stood on the other side of the entrance. They took care of them with ease, and before the Tevinter officer could even speak, Mallory turned towards the staircase, staff in hand, and casted a stream of shock towards him, rendering him paralyzed. She walked past his immobile figure, quickly turned the corner, and just as Fenris pulled his sword out of the other Tevinter soldier, their eyes met, weapons readily pointed at each other. A sharp pain met both of their minds, and unable to hide it, Mallory grabbed her forehead with the heel of her palm, a sneer visible on her face. Fenris did not approach her, but she could see the unsureness in his face. He was conflicted, she was sure. In that moment, she knew that he had something to do with their situation. It was only furthered by his thick voice piercing through the silence.  
  
“We need to talk.”

  


After defeating the demons within the mansion, and sending the rest of her team home, Mallory sat at a lonely table in the middle of the mess of Fenris’ new home. He was a couple feet away, gently leaning against one of the bookshelves, arms crossed over his chest, and pondering eyes scanning her.  
  
“So you aren’t the one behind this?”  
  
She laughed absently. “No, Maker, why would I want to relive the same day over and over again?”  
  
“And this is a magic that you haven’t encountered before?” He uncrossed his arms, realizing he was coming off a little offensive.  
  
“I’m afraid not. It may be some Tevinter trick of sorts, but from what I’ve read I doubt even they are capable of whatever this is.”  
  
He watched as she picked up a carefully hand to move a piece of dark hair behind her ear. “I agree… Still, wherever this magic has come from, it seems to have only affected the two of us.”  
  
“Do you have any idea how to fix it?” She asked.  
  
He shook his head, a long sigh escaping the both of them in sync. A moment passed, and the silence reminded her that the longer that they waited, the closer they were to reliving the same day with no progress whatsoever.  
  
“It is infuriating.” Fenris said, taking the words right out her mouth. “I have tried changing the way I approach this day twice, but nothing seems to work.”  
  
“Should we try avoiding the regular plans tomorrow? That way we could test if it has something to do with Danarius.” She suggested.  
  
“And risk the Tevinter or whomever has done this getting angry?”  
  
“Or it would draw them out.”  
  
Fenris scoffed slightly. “We would waste a day of progress in figuring this out.”  
  
“Well do you have any other ideas?” She asked, obvious annoyance dripping from her tongue.  
  
Fenris opened his mouth to speak, but a shock of pain in his head surprised him. He winced, slightly turning away from her position at the table. Though he couldn’t see her, he heard the wooden chair as it pushed back against the floor, and her soft footsteps approached him. Turning back towards her, he noticed the worry in her silver eyes as they looked up into his.  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
He wanted to look away from her, but something did not allow him to. “I’m… fine. It’s merely a headache.”  
  
“Would you like me to help?” She asked in a small voice, as if not to scare him off. She too knew the pain that these headaches caused.  
  
Fenris wondered what she had meant, but as his eyes flickered to her staff against the table, he understood. “You do know how I feel about magic, Hawke.”  
  
Vulnerable. That was the word that stained her mind as she searched his eyes. She had seen it before, in the eyes of others she felt the need to protect, like her mother. Carefully she lifted a hand, and let it hover near his cheek, waiting for his permission. “I would never use my magic to hurt you, Fenris.”  
  
He searched her eyes too, and after finding no reason to doubt her or fear her, he nodded. Mallory’s shaking hand barely dusted the dark skin of his forehead, but the energy he felt was bold and confident, and behind his eyes, he could only see, feel, a soft yellow. When she pulled her hand away, it still glowed the same color he had imagined, and the pain was completely gone.  
  
“Better?”  
  
“Better.”  
  
She moved away from him, trying to create a distance much more acceptable for strangers. Her voice sounded much clearer, now that she could catch her breath. “I should go, it’s getting late.”  
  
Fenris watched her as she gathered her things and moved towards the door, and before she could fully escape, he called for her. “I will be there tomorrow, even if you decide not to come. If it does not succeed, we will find another way.”  
  
Mallory couldn’t help but smirk all the way back to the manor with the way he said ‘we.’

  
  


The Fourth Day:  
  
She had held off as long as she possibly could. After telling Carver that she was feeling under the weather, and finally convincing him that all she needed was some bed rest, he agreed to putting off Anso’s request until the next day. That left Mallory to sit and contemplate the night before, and the more she thought of the look he wore as they parted, the more the feeling in her mind pulled her towards Danarius’ mansion. Though she knew that she should have stayed put with her books, to figure out more about the spell, she couldn’t help the feeling of longing that sat deep within her chest. Worst of all, she worried for him. Worried that the Tevinter slavers would have caught him without her and her friends aid. So she picked up her staff, without even changing into her battle gear, and gently tucked herself out of the house, making sure not to disturb Carver, who was lounging in the foyer with their Mabari, happily smiling and petting the top of his head.  
  
The day was muggier than the last three days. An overcast of grey clouds hung over Kirkwall, and the usual traffic of the town moved at a much slower pace. She decided not to dwell on it’s significance for too long, as she approached Fenris’ aura. Mallory had become accustomed to the feeling, the pressure in her head and the determination that pushed her towards him. She wandered around the abandoned house, trying to find any sign of danger, and when she found none, she entered through the door. Though prepared for the worst, she found no thugs, no demons, no Tevinters, and no Fenris. The feeling of him still lingered in her blood, so she clearly called his name, listening as it echoed through the halls.  
  
Moments later, a pair of footsteps came from the hall near her. “Mallory?”  
  
She turned towards him, hoping that he wasn’t in the terrible shape she had imagined. Luckily, he stood there completely unbattered, though he did seem a little out of breath, like he had been running. Maybe he had felt the undeniable pull, just as she did. The fact that he had called her by her first name stood out in her brain, but she quickly dusted it to the back for later.  
  
“What are you doing here?” He wondered out loud.  
  
“I was worried.” She explained, a little embarrassed. “I do not doubt your ability to take care of yourself, but I do doubt the demons would have gone easy on you.”  
  
He smirked, a bit surprised at her honesty. “In all honesty, when I arrived here earlier, there was no threat. I got away as easily as I did with your aid for the past three days. Something is much different today than our prior experiences.”  
  
His words sunk deep into her mind, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Fenris had been right in ‘making whomever responsible even angrier.’ She stared at the space on the floor between their bodies. Her blank face phased him.  
  
“We’ll be alright? Won’t we?” She said nervously.  
  
“Hawke?”  
  
There was an obvious tremble in her voice. “I mean… this is a magic that I have never dealt with before… The last time this had happened, I lost my sister. I don’t want to lose anyone else.”  
  
Fenris’ eyes widened, realizing that her eyes had become glossy. He recognized her bravery in being able to show such emotion in front of a stranger. But it wasn’t true, she was far from a stranger. In the few days they had known each other; in the few days they had met each other over and over again, he had become quite fond of her friendship, and admired her constant attention to caring for those around her, including him, who he knew was the last one that deserved her kindness.  
  
He carefully closed the space between them, so that he was standing just a few inches away from her. Did he dare return that kindness, knowing the fear she felt because of their curse? “Would you like to stay here tonight?”  
  
Mallory’s eyes met his, dark in the practically lightless room. It didn’t seem like a bad idea, since it would test if staying together would lift their situation. But she couldn’t help but admit to herself that she felt safe near Fenris, and then they wouldn’t have to deal with the uncomfortable feeling of being separated. She could still make out the defined white of his tattoos, and in her inability to control her emotions in that instance, she slowly lifted her hand and caressed the way the design curved around his chin with her fingertips. The gesture spoke the answer he was hoping for.  
  
The only comfortable piece of furniture in the home that wasn’t covered in dust and decay was a linen covered couch in the large foyer. When night fell, Mallory casted a small flame in the fireplace. She didn’t mind the way Fenris’ eyes watched her as she did it. He quickly readied the one-person couch for her, and when he stood back for her to rest, she asked with an innocent voice that caught him off guard, “Where will you sleep?”  
“I haven’t quite planned that far ahead yet.” He rubbed the back of his head with his hand.  
  
She lightly laughed, finally sitting against the cushions, testing out their comfort. “I’m sorry for imposing.”  
  
“You aren’t.” He quickly rebutted.  
  
Mallory laid down, resting her head on the beaded throw pillow he had found. It was surprisingly comfortable, and she could feel her eyes turning heavy. He couldn’t help but watch the scene with focused eyes. When she looked back up at him, he quickly averted his gaze and turned heel towards the hall in which he came from when she arrived.  
  
“Fenris?” Her voice stopped him, and he turned his head enough to look back at her.  
  
“Will you stay? Just until I fall asleep?”  
  
The way her light voice wrapped around him was enough to make him fully turn towards her. The way her knees tucked into her chest, her captivating brown hair wisped against the awful Tevinter fabric of the couch, the whole image was something that unnerved him, and unsurprisingly pulled him in.  
  
He sat on the floor near the end of the couch, leaning back against it’s cushions. They didn’t speak to one another, letting the peace of the moment linger. Every once in a while, he would feel her weight move a little, but once it ceased, he turned towards her, only to see that she had fallen asleep, steady breaths making her nostrils flare a bit. He smiled, a truly genuine smile, and lifted his ungloved hand to return the caress she had given him earlier that day. Her skin was smooth for the most part, but he couldn’t help but linger a little while as his fingers passed over a small, defined scar against her jawbone. She began to stir, and he quickly pulled away. A noise escaped her, something he had never heard before in his life. Her voice made him jump a little, it’s groggy but understandable murmur entering his pointed ears.  
  
“...I’m glad it’s you.” She said.  
  
He turned towards her again. She still laid there seemingly asleep.  
  
“What?” He asked in a hushed voice. There was no reply.  
  
A smile dusted his lips, as he knew that she had probably unknowingly said it in her sleep. Still, he was able to decipher its meaning. “I am glad, as well.” He said.  
  
Carefully he leaned in towards her and placed his lips gently against hers, lightly enough that it wouldn’t cause her to stir again. After memorizing the feeling of her lips against his, so that he would never forget about it, no matter what magic he would have to face the next day, he pulled away from her and laid against the hard floor. His head was close to her outstretched hand, lazily hanging off the side of the couch, and before finally letting sleep overtake him as well, he decided to intertwine their fingers, hoping that they would still be there in the morning.

  
  


The Fifth Day:  
  
A bright light stirred Mallory awake, and as she opened her eyes, she quickly realized that the walls around her were not her own. The was no crackle of a fireplace, because the one that she had lit before laying on the unfamiliar couch had died out somewhere within the night. After finally letting her surroundings sink in, she quickly lifted herself up with the arm that had been trapped under her pillow, but noticed her other arm had been weighed down. She peeked over the side of the cushions and on the ground, sleeping soundly was a peaceful looking Fenris, his fingers lovingly between hers.  
  
Unable to contain her excitement, she let out a loud yelp, making Fenris sit up with a quickness that sensed danger. Their hands left each other. When he found nothing but a happy-faced Hawke and an empty mansion, he realized that their curse had been broken.  
  
“Did we…?” He met her eyes.  
  
She simply nodded, and leaned towards him, practically falling off the couch and into his arms. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him against him. “I don’t know what we did, but we did it.” She giggled lightly in his ear.  
  
Surprised by the hug, he could feel a blush surfacing on his cheeks. Using one hand to keep them upright, he used his free one to wrap around her waist. They stayed in each others embrace for a few moments before she pulled away, looking down at his crooked smile with a confused look.  
  
“What is it?” She asked. The wisps of her bed-headed hair tickled his face in their closeness.  
  
He let the memory of her soft lips replay in his mind. He looked up at her with a fondness he never knew he could feel. “Maybe our curse was a blessing in disguise.”

  



End file.
